VH is over for me

[SilvioDante]

Quick show of hands.... Who is the exact same person they were in 1984? Who looks the same and acts the same? Anyone?

I just don't understand what people are expecting? Dave is 57! My dad was retired and sitting around the house doing nothing at 57. Dave, along with Ed and Al, are going around the country and playing a near 2 hour concert every 3rd night or so. That to me deserves and demands my respect. Not to mention they have lived a lot of life since '84. Rehab, cancer, rehab, divorces, rehab, arrests, rehab, failed careers choices, rehab. All of that has to change you.

These guys are different now, and so am I. Like I said in an earlier thread, I would love Dave to come running out on stage one night and say, "Oh my God! You guys have gotten old and fat. You boobs are sagging. You have lost all your hair. You don't scream for us like you use to. We're leaving, come on guys. Let's go home."

One more quick note on the goofiness. I was proud to take my 16 yr. old daughter to the show in Nashville. The only concerts she has ever seen were the Flavor-o'-the-Month boy groups and Taylor Swift. After about the 5th song she leans over and says "Dave sound kinda like the record. Better than I thought he would". As the show went one, I would look over at her and see her reaction to Dave's hijinks and she was smiling. Finally, when Dave pulled out the checkered flag, I looked at her and she was laughing. I asked her what was wrong. She said "I don't get it, that's stupid." I said, "It made you smile. I doesn't have to mean anything. You DO get it". She smiled and agreed.

As an earlier poster said, you either get Dave or you don't. I'm gald I do or else I'd have to listen to Daughtry or Nickleback or some crap like that....

[fourthcoming]

I wish Dave would stop dancing so much and be more zombie like. It's those damn Van Halen's fault.....them and Arthur Murray.

[SNIPER]

[So this is love]

amazes me that this thread made it to three pages...

[Von Halen]

I took this picture of Dave in 1979. He appears to be smiling.

[ZahZoo]

yea the brothers are making him dance...now i've heard it all

This appears to be a key point many skimmed over... maybe there is something to it..?

Consider this... in 2007 The Brothers™ did something no one had ever accomplished before... they made Dave shut the fuck up. For 5 years no less...

So for their second act... they made Dave take Shirley Temple/Judy Garland dance lessons and worked the Porta-Dance-Floor into the stage design. This is pure power play genius... Gotta hand it to The Brothers™...

[golitely]

The Brothers™

LOL. Love the TM. Stepford Dave.

[Light Em' Up!]

I took this picture of Dave in 1979. He appears to be smiling.

LOL! I posted a "earlier" and "current" picture of Dave smiling too on this thread....I guess he still doesn't get it....

[perrin29]

Haters can jump on this and spin! Who the hell is the same person or has the same abilities they had in 1984? Fuckin' delusional. Personally, I think the band sounds better now. Dave can do whatever the hell he wants to keep things fresh and interesting. Either go along for the ride or fuck off.

[gbranton]

Next thing you know he will bitch about Ed sitting down during his guitar solo.

[jhale667]

Next thing you know he will bitch about Ed sitting down during his guitar solo.

Well, if ya think about it...HOW DARE HE?

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Well, if ya think about it...HOW DARE HE?

Dammit, he stole the title of my next thread !!

[binnie]

Funny how someone who has a screen name of a (at one time incredible) band who are WAY FUCKING PAST their prime and have no business performing as such can complain about the master.

Please tell me you're stuck in comic book land and not seriously digging on the once mighty Wolfsbane.

Wolfsbane are still mighty in my book.

[ELVIS]

You trying to suggest Dave is gay ???

[gene]

Dave and VH have never disappointed me when they played together. Saw them in 1980 up to 2012 and all the time Dave was solo. Give me a break!!!

[gene]

Most of the time Dave was solo. Missed a few shows,but still.

[Vinnie Velvet]

I think its just Dave coming up with something for the show to compensate for the fact that he can't do all those kicks, split-legged leaps and jumps anymore.

Having said that he is still pulling off some great roundhouses and most, if not all, 57 year olds can't do at that age.

[Angel]

He's a man in his element. There's no better drug in the world. NOTHING feels as great as doing what you're meant to be doing.

I know I grin like a cheshire cat every acting gig I do. I can only imagine how much bigger that grin would be if I had that snatched away from me and then finally got it back.

You go Dave, and keep on loving what you're doing...that shit eating grin is one of the things I'm loving most about this tour!!

[mohican]

... I would love Dave to come running out on stage one night and say, "Oh my God! You guys have gotten old and fat. You boobs are sagging. You have lost all your hair. You don't scream for us like you use to. We're leaving, come on guys. Let's go home."

[ThrillsNSpills]

I will not see Dave again unless this crap stops.


It used to be that Dave ( and VH) were more dangerous than the music. Now, they are about as dangerous as custard pie. If you don't appear serious, why should I see you any different.

I hope the checkered flag means this is the end of the race for Dave with VH.

close your eyes next time whiner.

[TJMKID]

Dave is like that crazy uncle we'd see at family reunion picnics getting wasted ---- he's older now but still lovable and weird.

Back in '78-'84, you were jealous of that crazy uncle because he drove a new cherry red IROC-Z Camaro and his girlfriend was a hot stripper. He'd share a fat blunt with you when your Mom wasn't looking.

Now it's 2012, that crazy uncle sold the IROC and drives a Toyota truck and drinks Pabst. He's not as cool as he once was, but he's still goofy and likeable. He's family and you'll always love him.

Yeah I wish Dave would drop the choreographed dance routines and just strut around onstage like the old days. Drop the high register on songs like DTNA. The Liberace jackets and scarf still perplex me now that it's summertime. I'm sure most of the female fans wish he would go back to the '07-'08 look of open shirt with sweat beading on his bare chest.

I think it's a case of Dave just trying a little too hard to bring glamour to the show when he should just relax and pretend it's a backyard BBQ party in Pasadena.

But never forget ---- as goofy and eclectic as Sir Diamond can be ---- just be happy this cumstain is not up there with the twins:

[PETE'S BROTHER]

that looney uncle told my old freudian slip joke....

[loucap81]

I took this picture of Dave in 1979. He appears to be smiling.

That's my all-time favorite pic you've taken of him.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

well, mr bane, 10 seconds in, the drumset agrees with you...

[Nitro Express]

At least Dave dresses like the Lennox furnace dude instead of peroxing his hair and dressing like spiderman in a frock or wearing chaps with no pants. Pushing 60 that would be some crazy scary shit.

[Nitro Express]

Cabo Cunt

I'm surprised Sam doesn't fly onto the Chickenfoot stage on a giant bottle of Cabo Wabo tequila wearing a big sombrero throwing cheese curds to the audience.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

Cabo Cunt

I'm surprised Sam doesn't fly onto the Chickenfoot stage on a giant bottle of Cabo Wabo tequila wearing a big sombrero throwing cheese curds to the audience.

i've heard he does...

[Nigel]

My gosh, you are right. Dave has always been a silly shit-eating grin goofball/village idiot.

Thanks for explaining it to me.

"Lose the scarf, keep the shoes". Keep smilin'

[NIN1211]

Cabo Cunt

I'm surprised Sam doesn't fly onto the Chickenfoot stage on a giant bottle of Cabo Wabo tequila wearing a big sombrero throwing cheese curds to the audience.

Recent picture from the tool shed..wtf is wrong with this guy? Nonetheless, if you don't like VH 2012, go see the foot at a half sold out theater near you. I would take Dave in a wheelchair with a speech impediment and a touch of Alzheimer's over 99 percent of the "front-men" out there. If you don't like it, then why take the time to come here and talk shit. get a hobby dude.

[gbranton]

Recent picture from the stool shed..wtf is wrong with this guy?

That must have been shot with one of those new Lytro cameras that lets you adjust the focus after the fact. Notice how in one picture the fat jar of jack juice is in focus, in the other, it's the manky mound of monkey feces.

[TJMKID]

That must have been shot with one of those new Lytro cameras that lets you adjust the focus after the fact. Notice how in one picture the fat jar of jack juice is in focus, in the other, it's the manky mound of monkey feces.

Chicken-Pussy is barely selling 1000 tickets per gig and yet these cumstains are flying in a private jet to the shows?

Yeah, that makes sense.

[dazzlindino]

Recent picture from the tool shed..wtf is wrong with this guy? Nonetheless, if you don't like VH 2012, go see the foot at a half sold out theater near you. I would take Dave in a wheelchair with a speech impediment and a touch of Alzheimer's over 99 percent of the "front-men" out there. If you don't like it, then why take the time to come here and talk shit. get a hobby dude.

hagar..looks just like that dude from sister wives......

[SNIPER]

Quick show of hands.... Who is the exact same person they were in 1984? Who looks the same and acts the same? Anyone?

I just don't understand what people are expecting? Dave is 57! My dad was retired and sitting around the house doing nothing at 57. Dave, along with Ed and Al, are going around the country and playing a near 2 hour concert every 3rd night or so. That to me deserves and demands my respect. Not to mention they have lived a lot of life since '84. Rehab, cancer, rehab, divorces, rehab, arrests, rehab, failed careers choices, rehab. All of that has to change you.

These guys are different now, and so am I. Like I said in an earlier thread, I would love Dave to come running out on stage one night and say, "Oh my God! You guys have gotten old and fat. You boobs are sagging. You have lost all your hair. You don't scream for us like you use to. We're leaving, come on guys. Let's go home."

One more quick note on the goofiness. I was proud to take my 16 yr. old daughter to the show in Nashville. The only concerts she has ever seen were the Flavor-o'-the-Month boy groups and Taylor Swift. After about the 5th song she leans over and says "Dave sound kinda like the record. Better than I thought he would". As the show went one, I would look over at her and see her reaction to Dave's hijinks and she was smiling. Finally, when Dave pulled out the checkered flag, I looked at her and she was laughing. I asked her what was wrong. She said "I don't get it, that's stupid." I said, "It made you smile. I doesn't have to mean anything. You DO get it". She smiled and agreed.

As an earlier poster said, you either get Dave or you don't. I'm gald I do or else I'd have to listen to Daughtry or Nickleback or some crap like that....

Fucking AWESOME!

[SNIPER]

[DONNIEP]

Goddamn Sniper..you posted a clip of The King and I completely forgot what this thread was about...

[DavidLeeNatra]

You trying to suggest Dave is gay ???

yeah...wait until I turn this into a hair thread...

[Light Em' Up!]

Wolf will probably bitch about the King's lip too since he doesn't like Dave's smile...

[loucap81]

I don't feel like starting a new thread on this issue, so posting it in this one will have to suffice. Here are the aspects of Dave that are getting criticized and I'd like to give you my two cents.

1) Dave's moves on stage. Off as far as the on-stage moving around goes, is the show really any less of a show without jumping splits off the drum-risers? I think Dave's being smart about things in that regard and I admire he's still able to do what he does up there. I can't do that stuff and I'm 26 years younger than he is. And if he wants to dance and slide on that linoleum floor or whatever it is, he can dance the night away all he wants. Perfectly cool, and screw anyone who criticizes him for THAT of all things. How many frontmen of any age still care to do stuff like that to entertain their fans, not many.

2a) Ad-libs, talking, etc. during songs. I'm cool with the ad-libs, as long as he's not actively upstaging Eddie. Early in the tour, he just kept rambling during the songs and he wasn't letting things breathe. It was annoying, especially when he kept talking over Eddie's solos. But he toned it down and found a happy medium. I thought he was outstanding in Greensboro. LOVED what he did during Everybody Wants Some. And the Dance The Night Away moment where he had the camera put on the little girl was priceless. Only Dave comes up with stuff like that. Only Dave cares enough about making each show a party amongst friends to do stuff like that.

2b) Forgetting the words to the songs. Well, he's always done that. Now some nights like Atlantic City it got to be excessive and wearing. He definitely was all over the place that night. They also shouldn't have done Hang 'em High in Boston if he had to literally read the lyrics off the drum riser. Now a couple screw-ups, whatever. People have theorized that he just loses his place easily and that sounds plausible to me. At the end of the day, it's not a huge deal. It's live music, he has the balls and the ego NOT to want the aid of a teleprompter, which I respect, and as an avid listener of all the old concert recordings, I'm just kinda used to it. I don't think this is an issue of not giving it his all, he just doesn't have a superior memory for lyrics.

3) Dave's vocal cords. The real elephant in the room. I'm concerned more than anything else. In 2007-08, his voice was great. Many people believe it's the best he has ever sounded, and that's saying a lot. His voice was powerful, strong, he was nailing all the notes, and given Eddie's drug/alcohol problems and Wolf's green-ness, he was the star, the alpha and omega of that tour. But it's obvious that something happened between 2008 and 2012. What could it be, anyone have any ideas? It's not like he did any touring in that four year time. I hate to see singers lose their voice like that, and I'm sure he's not happy about it either. I hope it's something correctable and that that's the reason for the postponement. But can you get back to where you were after surgery? Guys like Doc Rivers of the Celtics have had vocal cord surgery for all the shouting they have to do as a coach, yet I still don't think his voice sounds very good. Maybe it's just some kind of long-term infection that's taking forever to go away?

So to the OP, I'm sorry you're unhappy with the current tour. It's not perfect, but the clock isn't going to be turned back either. I still challenge you, however, to find me a legacy band that puts on a better facsimile of the glory days. As long as Eddie stays clean (and thank God he has this tour) there ain't many, if any. How do you not get chills when they do improvised jams such as the one during Unchained that they're doing now? How do you not see that no one, not even his son Wolf, can bring the fury out of Eddie the way Dave does? No band on earth can top that combustion, that magic when Dave and Ed are on the same stage. Even in its 2012 state, that magic still holds power over me, still makes me weak like a woman who you know is flawed, can make life miserable at times, but at the same time you just can't get her out of your head and you fall for her every single time she comes knocking on your door. That's Van Halen, the only band in the history of music that has cast a spell on me like that. As long as everyone's clean, as long as they're working their asses off and giving it everything they have, I don't see myself ever breaking free of that spell. VH is most definitely NOT over for me.

[DONNIEP]

And when Van Halen is Al, Ed and Wolfie...then what?

[DavidLeeNatra]

And when Van Halen is Al, Ed and Wolfie...then what?

this one's easy: then Dave is missing!